Mr. Morden

Not
much (nothing, actually) is known about Morden prior to 2256...only that he
was a fairly normal guy, if somewhat of a lowlife. In 2256, Morden was a
member of the crew of the Icarus, an Earth exploration vessel working with
Interplanetary Expiditions to explore the Rim of known space. Anna
Sheridan, John Sheridan's wife, was also a member of the crew. Their
destination was a lil' ol' planet called Z'ha'dum--the same planet serving as
the homeworld of the Shadows.

Oops.

The Icarus landed on Z'ha'dum
and in short order met up with everyone's favorite Shadows, who were just coming
awake after a thousand years of hibernation. They gave the crew a choice:
Work as a minion of the Shadows, or resist and end up a half-dead zombie working
for the Shadows anyway. The crew resisted, and for the most part ended up
either dead or as living CPU for the Shadow ships.

Throughout the years, Morden would continue to do the
Shadows' bidding. He would finally meet his demise in Season 4's Into
the Fire, once Londo had had enough of him once and for all. In his
death, he ironically gave Vir Cotto, Londo's assistant, the only thing
he had wanted all along:

Morden returned from beyond the
grave in Season 5's Day of the Dead, as a curiously philosophical apparition
who told Lennier that he would end up betraying the Rangers. Aside
from that, though, his head remains atop a spike outside the Centauri Royal
Palace slowly rotting away while birds peck at his dead eyes.

And good riddance.

The most maddening thing about Mr.
Morden (played superbly through all five seasons by Ed Wasser) was the fact
that he was such a damn gentleman. Always calm, always polite, always
having that dashing smile on his face while he sawed off your arm and told you
in a silky smooth voice that it was a good thing. Just look at his first
appearance in Signs and Portents--he politely speaks with all the
ambassadors, leaves peacefully when Delenn kicks him out of her quarters,
helps Londo recover a priceless artifact, kills the raiders responsible for its
disappearance, and doesn't ask for anything in return!